In heat exchanger systems such as a condenser, an evaporator or heater in an air-conditioning system, heating or cooling device for industrial applications, dirt or other unwanted deposits build up along the interior of the heat exchanger tubing.
One way of removing this dirt or other unwanted deposits is through the use of cleaning elements, such as balls made of rubber or spongy material or spherical objects with bristles made of nylon or metal. The cleaning elements rub against the interior wall of the heat exchanger tubing as they are transported via a fluid flowing along the heat exchanger tubing.
The cleaning elements are introduced into the heat exchanger system through a cleaning system. After the cleaning elements leave the heat exchanger tubing, they are returned to the cleaning system for recirculation into the heat exchanger tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,990 discloses such a cleaning system. A cleaning ball receptacle for U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,990 uses a partition to divide the receptacle interior into a lower compartment and an upper compartment. Fluid is permitted to pass through the lower compartment, while keeping cleaning balls in the upper compartment. The receptacle has three passageways disposed in the upper compartment, where two of the passageways are used for fluid communication between the receptacle and an inlet pipe, while the third passageway is to allow fluid communication between the receptacle and the outlet pipe. The receptacle has a fourth passageway disposed in the lower compartment to drain fluid from the receptacle out into the atmosphere.
Singapore patent no. 107766 discloses another cleaning system. A cleaning ball receptacle for Singapore patent no. 107766 uses a partition to divide the receptacle interior into a lower compartment and an upper compartment. Fluid is permitted to pass through the lower compartment, while keeping cleaning balls in the upper compartment. The receptacle has three passageways disposed in the upper compartment, where two of the passageways are used for fluid communication between the receptacle and an inlet pipe, while the third passageway is to allow fluid communication between the receptacle and the outlet pipe. The receptacle has a fourth passageway disposed in the lower compartment that is in fluid communication with the outlet pipe.
The above two systems are complex in that a sequence of actions are needed to close and open valves located in their respective systems to facilitate recirculation of the cleaning balls, these valves being coupled between the receptacles and their respective inlet and outlet pipes. In addition, the four passageways on the receptacles of U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,990 and Singapore patent no. 107766 provide for a complicated receptacle design.
It would be advantageous to have a cleaning system with a simple architecture.